Woman killed in fiery collision identified

Rosemary Regina SobolTribune reporter

A woman who was driving a cab and killed early this morning when she was rear-ended by an SUV on the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway in northwest suburban Hoffman Estates has been identified, authorities said.

The victim, Melba Farr, 56, of the 500 block of Littleton Trail in Elgin, was dead on the scene, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

The crash happened at 5:09 a.m. in the westbound lanes of I-90 at Beverly Road, according to Illinois State Police Tollway District Master Sgt. Nick Hasan.

The cab was either stopped or was backing up in live lanes of traffic when the sport-utility vehicle could not avoid the collision and rear-ended the cab, Hasan said.

"The cab was immediately engulfed in flames," Hasan said.

Alcohol impairment has been ruled out but Hasan said they are still trying to figure out why she was backing up.

The man driving the SUV was treated on the scene and no citations were issued. The cab had no passengers.

The lanes are now open but had been closed down for nearly four hours after the crash, Hasan said.